Machine for trade-marking and grade-marking lumber



J. J. MILLER March 17, 1931.

MACHINE FOR TRADEMARKLNG AND GRADEMARKING LUMBER .Filed Dec.

l I l a I I l l Patented Mar. 17, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH J. MILLER, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA MACHINE FOR TRADE-MARKING AND GRADE-MARKIN G LUMBER Application filed December 5, 1927. Serial No. 237,824.

My invention relates to a machine for trademarking and grademarking lumber at one operation with marks that are distinctive in character, co-related and inseparable from each other.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a simple, quick, cheap, practical method of imprintingon a piece of lumber or other material a trademarkdeclaring its manufacturer and its grade as determined by him, in order that it may hear these marks until the ultimate consumer is reached, thus providing the basis of ethical business methods for the benefit of all concerned.

Other objects accomplished, and their bearing upon the primary object of this invention are self-apparent upon the perusal of the following;

To date, there has been no method de vised to accomplish this purpose that is practical as ,to method of operation or cost thereof, although much intensive effort and money has been expended to solve the problem. I i That there is an universal approval of the tradeand grademarking of lumber is evidenced by the adoption of the idea officially by several of our large lumber trade associa tions I and by most all manufacturers of prominence. Further, the idea has the endorsement of your own United States Department of Commerce, and a pamphlet, special #580, has been issued on the subject embodying the conclusions of that department after many years of investigation. The Southern Pine Association of New Orleans, La., are marking their product on the end with rubber stamps, but declare it unsatisfactory and once issued a pamphlet ofi'ering money prizes in open contest for the most practical suggestions for the solution of the problem. All of the larger mills employ graders who carry a crayon in the hand, or on the end of a stick, and mark the grade on the surface of the lumber as it:

passes from the mill to kiln or dry yards, and again as it emerges from the planers in manufacture; but this is only a perishable, or easily erased or altered mark that designates grade only. My invention places in the hand of the grader in place of the crayon, a simple, easily operated machine with which he can select his grade mark quickly and imprint at any point on the surface of the piece of lumber an indelible combined trademark and grademark that will remain there legible and unalterable until that piece of lumber has passed clear through to the carpenter who builds the house or to the mechanic who manufacturers it into various other articles. Y

I accomplish these and other objects selfapparent by means of such structure and relative parts as are fully disclosed in the drawing which forms a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference designate similar parts throughout said specification and drawing and in which Figure 1 shows a rear view of the device; Figure 2 shows a top plan, revealing the arrangement of the grade mark selective keys, two of the horizontal levers in relation to the locking block and the bell cranks dotted below. Figure 3 is a bottom plan showing the trade mark stamp and the grade mark stamp in its center as it appears when imprinted on a board or other surface, and in dotted lines the grade mark stamp holders in nonoperative or first position with the bell cranks and links attached, also in dotted lines the ink roll mechanism in nonoperative position. Figure et is a side View showing the entire mechanism in non-operative or first position. Figure 5 is a cross section of a grade mark stamp holder with the operating shaft hooks in position on the stamp and ready to carry the stamp downward from the holder into contact with the trade mark stamp. Figure 6 is a cross-sec tion of the trade mark stamp with the operating shaft holding a grade mark stamp in position therein, and about to be pressed downward into contact with a surface to be marked. The grade mark stamp holder is shown in section just above and ready to receive the grade mark stamp on the return or upward movement of the operating shaft and return to non-operative position. Figure 7 is sectional view of the grade mark the frame 14 supportsthe, shafton. whichthe die holders 3 are mounted aroma and a s upp r s-the.;shaft: l9; 0. s ides block 18 which carries the two levers 17 between which is supported the ink r 011 15;.

the links 16 attach .to the leVGl's 17 and are fulcrumed on the frame 14, as shown; the frame'l4 also provides, afulcrum pointfor the bell cranlrs-29 an d has ahole in'its lower facetlrrough which the stamps land 2 may seat and come to exact face alignment with the surface to be marked. Frame 27 supports the two shafts- 21 upon whichthe stamp l'unoves vertically, and on its top surface i'sa h'o'ss' which acts as a bearing through which the shaft 4 slides vertically; a pin 32-fiXed in shaft 4 slidesin a vertical slot in said boss and prevents rotation of shaft4'. To the bear-ingbos's described is attached the bracket 9amwhich is arranged the bearings for the grade mark buttons 6, a spring 10 between the bearing boss and a collar on shaft 4 acts to return shaft 4 to its upper, or selective, position after each down- 'ward, orfimprint, stroke. Frame 27 also carries the 4 bosses in which are fulcrumed the. levers 8, and provides two supporting bosses for'the-locking bar- 18.

inoperation-thehandle of-"the machine is grasped by the hand of the operator ,7 with one finger he presses down on one of the buttons 6, bearing the grademark desired to. be imprinted: Through the medium of thelinklever 8, link 26, bell crank 29 and link 28, the grade; mark holder 3 bearing the grade mark stamp2 is moved into place directly over. the trade mark stamp 1' and by means of the locking bar 13' falling into the notch. in the end of lever 8-,. is" locked inthat positionasshown dotted at A until released; by turning the knurled nutll in the direction indicated the arrow orpressing downon another ofj the buttons 6. Next. themachine is placed in contact-with a surface to. bemarkedz The handle 5 is pressed down shaft 4 slides down through the bearing inframe 27. Thehooks 12'on the end of shaft4 snapinto the grooves in stamp 2 which is disengaged from the holder 3 and is carried down until it; seats in stamp.

1;; further; pressureon the handle5 carries both stamps l andstamps 2'down untilthey contact with the surface to be marked; now pressure is removedf'rom the handle upon which the recoil of spring 10 causes. the

shaft 4 to return to its original'position, bringing with it part 2 which is returned to place in holder 3. Part 1 is returned to its first position by springs 22 on guide shafts 21. Part 3 bearing part 2 is returned to first position, upon pressing another of the grade mark buttons on which the cam on the end of lover 8 rotates the locking bar 13 in the direction of the arrow, against the tension of spring 23, unlocking the bar in position A, and allowing spring 25 to return it to original position. It is thus apparent that. only one grade mark stamp can be positioned over the trade mark stamp at one time, and that, selection and use of another one automatically returns and the one just used to its original position, and out of the way of the one'neXt to be used and that the holder 8 is safely locked in position until the stamp 2 is replaced therein and the shaft 4 has withdrawn upward out of'the way- Upon movement of part 1 downward; ink roll 15 is rolled across the face of both stamps inking the same, and again rolls across the stamps when they return to first position. The levers 1.6 are fulcrumed on frame 14 and carry at their outer ends levers 17 which are ful'crumed on block 18 and carry at their outer ends the ink roll; the block 18 slides upon shaft 19 against the pressure of spring 20 which returns it to the position shown. enough to allow the ink roll to swing clear of part 1 on its downward movement.

lVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to. as do not form a departure, from the' spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Havin thus described m invention what g 7 I claim as new and useiul and desire to protect by Letters Patent, 1s.

1. In a lumber trademarking and grademarking machine, abase or frame'adapted to mount a trademarkstamp' above its lower face to slide vertically upon a pair of guide shafts and to mount a plurality of grademark stamps in holders rotatable about. the vertical shafts upon which theyare mounted to bring said stamps into central alignment with. the trademark stamp, and adapted 'tov support at its top a plate adapted to provide a bearing for a vertical shaft slidablertherein and in center alignment over the trademark stamp below, a vertical shaft positioned therein with a handle attached to its upper end and a pair of hooks pivoted in its lower end adapted to engage with a grademark stamp, a coil spring around said; iii 5 shaft between acollar thereon and the bearingfor'said shaft, said spring operating to return said shaft to its'upper position in.

the, bearing, a pin, setin said shaft sliding vertically in asliot in said bearing operating Guide'shafts 21 are short.

to mount a trademark stamp above its lower face, to slide vertically upon a pair of guide shafts and to mount a plurality of grademark stamps in holders rotatable about the vertical shafts upon which they are mounted to bring said stamps into central alignment With the trademark stamp, and adapted to support at its top a plate adapted to provide a bearing for a vertical shaft slidable therein, and in center alignment over the trademark stamp :below, a vertical shaft positioned therein with a handle attached to its upper end and a pair of hooks pivoted in its lower end adapted to engage with a grademark stamp, a coil spring around said shaft between a collar thereon and the bearing for said shaft, said spring operating to return said shaft to its upper position in the bearing, a pin set in said shaft sliding vertically in a slot in said bearing operating to prevent rotation of said shaft in its bearing, a yoke or guide attached to said shaft bearing and supporting a plurality of rods bearing at their upper ends buttons each bearing a grademark character, and means provided whereby when one of said buttons is pressed downward, a grademark stamp holder is brought into central position with the trademark stamp and locked there until released by the pressing of another grademark button and in connection therewith, means provided for inking said trademark and grademark stamps.

3. In a lumber trademarking and grademarking machine, a base, or frame, 14, a trademark stamp 1 mounted vertically slidable therein, a plurality of grademark stamps 2 mounted above said trademark stamp 1 but out of center alignment therewith, means provided to bring any one of said grademark stamps 2 into central alignment with stamp 1 and to position stamp 2 in stamp l, and then to bring both stamps 1 and 2 into contact with a surface to be marked, and to return both stamps 1 and 2 rotatably mounted on said shaft, grade mark stamps 2 mounted removably in said holders 3, means provided to position stamps 2 over stamp 1, and means provided to remove stamp 2 from holder 3 and carry it downward to a seat in stamp 1, and means provided to carry both stamps 1 and 2 down- Ward into contact with the surface to be marked, and to return both stamps 1 and 2 to their original positions.

JOSEPH J. MILLER. 

